Article positioning device

ABSTRACT

A device for positioning elongated articles having differing cross-sectional areas at different positions along their lengths is disclosed. An open top box-like housing is supported above a horizontal base. The bottom of the open top box-like housing consists of a plurality of substantially parallel, non-contiguous article support members defining a plurality of slots of substantially equal widths. The bottom of the open top box-like housing is elevated above the horizontal base in an orientation which is substantially parallel to the horizontal base by an elevation means such as legs or an integral continuation of the box-like housing. The device is utilized by introducing at least one article into the open top box-like housing and agitating the housing until at least one article falls into the slots. If the articles are disposable tips for pipettes they can readily be picked up by insertion of the pipette into the upwardly pointing opening of the tips.

United States Patent [191 Smernoff Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 143,814, May 17, 1971.

[52] U.S. Cl 206/443, 206/45.19, 206/349,

206/437, 209/99, 221/156 [51] Int. Cl B65d 85/20 [58] Field of Search 193/43 R; 206/3,'45.19,

206/16.5 R, 46 GT, 56 AC, 65 R, 65 A, DIG. 8; 209/97, 99, 122, 126; 217/21; 220/20, 22;

[56] References Cited UNITED-STATES PATENTS 62,658 3/1867 Matthews....; 217/21 835,713 11/1906 Schuster- 221/156 X 2,364,807 12/1944 Nelson 206/45.19 UX 2,747,732 5/1956 Fischer 206/45.19 X 3,276,847 10/1966 Duff et a1. 206/65 R UX 3,494,201 2/1970 Roach 206/65 R UX 3,536,449 10/1970 Astle 206/65 R UX 3,593,873 7/1971 Vonk 206/3 X Ronald B. Smernoff, Belmont, Calif.

June 25, 1974 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 384,899 12/1932 Great Britain 206/46 GT Primary ExaminerWilliam 1. Price Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Moore, Zimmerman & Dubb [57] ABSTRACT A device for positioning elongated articles having differing cross-sectional areas at different positions along their lengths is disclosed. An open top box-like housing is supported above a horizontal base. The bottom of the open top box-like housing consists of a plurality of substantially parallel, non-contiguous article support members defininga plurality of slots of substantially equal widths. The bottom of the open top boxlike housingis elevated above the horizontal base in an orientation which is substantially parallel to the horizontal base by an elevation means such as legs or an integral continuation of the box-like housing. The device is utilized by introducing at least one article into the open top box-like housing and agitating the housing until at least one article falls into the slots. 1f the articles are disposable tips for pipettes they can readily be picked up by insertion of the pipette into the upwardly pointing opening of the tips.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PMENTEB JURZ 51974 INVENTOR. RONALD B. SMERNOFF BY WW5.

ATTORNEYS 1 ARTICLE POSITIONING DEVICE This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 143,814, filed May 17, 1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for positioning elongated articles having differing cross-sectional areas at different positions along their lengths, and, more particularly, relates to a device for positioning disposable pipette tips sothey are aligned in a substantially vertical position'with their larger cross-section ends pointing upwardly in an open top box-like housing in readiness for the insertion of a pipette, the formation of a press fit with the pipette and removal'with the pipette.

There are a number of prior art methods and devices for positioning elongated articles in a substantially vertical position. A typical device for positioning elongated articles in a substantially vertical position is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,494,201 issued Feb. 10, 1970, to W. J. Roach. A closed top box which contains a series of round holes in which disposable pipette tips are inserted is disclosed. The diameter of the holes is smaller than the largest diameter of the disposable pipette tips and larger than the smallest diameter of the disposable pipette tips. The use of a positioning device as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,494,201 requires that an operator insert the disposable pipette tips into the holes so that the possibility of contamination arises. Contamination of disposable pipette tips is extremely undesirable since incorrect analyses can result when the tips are used in chemical and biological testing. In addition, the insertion of disposable pipette tips into the holes of the positioning device is time consuming. And, finally, in some disposable pipette tip positioning devices the tips can become so snugly wedged that they cannot readily be removed from the device.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device for positioning elongated articles having differing cross-sectional areas at different positions along their lengths which does not require the articles to be handled by the operator.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device for quickly and easily positioning elongated articles in a substantially vertical position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for positioning disposable pipette tips so the tips may be readily removed by forming a press fit with the tip of a pipette.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises, in the broadest sense, a device for positioning elongated articles having differing cross-sectional areas at different positions along their lengths. The device comprises an open top box-like housing which has at the bottom a plurality of substantially parallel, non-contiguous article support members defining a plurality of slots and a means for elevating the housing above and substantially parallel to a horizontal base.

The device of the invention is utilized in a simple and straightforward manner. One or more elongated articles is placed at random in the open top box-like housing of the device and the device is shaken or otherwise agitated until the elongated articles, or at least one of them, fall into one of the plurality of slots defined by the substantially parallel non-contiguous article support members. Each elongated article falls into a slot narrow end first and is held between a pair of adjacent non-contiguous article support members. The elongated articles can then be stored, removed or worked on. A variety of articles can be positioned in this manner providing they have differing cross-sectional areas along their lengths. Examples of articles that can be positioned by the open top box-like housing are disposable pipette tips, flowers, classical glass pipettes. carrots, ampules and the like. The device of the invention is not usable with elongated articles having two or more positions along the length thereof which are (1) large enough to become wedges in a slot and (2) are located on opposite sides of the center of gravity of the elongated articles.

In order that the elongated articles attain a substantially vertical position, a feature which is highly desirable for their ready retrieval, it is necessary that the article support members be elevated above a horizontal base so the articles may depend freely from adjacent non-contiguous article support members. It is also necessary that the center of gravity of the articles is below the point of support of the articles by the article support members.

It should also be understood that when a plurality of elongated articles are placed into the top of the open top box-like housing and the housing is shaken it is quite possible and even quite likely that only a portion of the elongated articles will fall into a vertical position between the article support members. This happenstance is no drawback since as soon as those elongated articles which have been correctly (vertically) positioned have been used the box can be shaken again and thereby more of the elongated articles may be positioned in a vertical manner.

When the device of the invention is being used for positioning disposable pipette tips or other relatively small articles the shaking of the device usually consists simply of the operator grasping the device in his hand or between his hands and shaking it for a few seconds. If very large elongated articles are to be positioned by a device of the invention mechanical shaking means may be utilized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a more detailed understanding of the device for positioning elongated articles of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing which is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this specification.

FIG. 1 is a cut-away perspective view of the open top box-like housing of the invention and the integral elevation means for elevating the housing above a horizontal base.

FIG. 2 is a cut-away end view of the device of the invention illustrating rectangular article support members and a disposable pipette tip in position between a pair of adjacent non-contiguous article support members.

FIG. 3 is a series of end views of a number of possible shapes for the article support members.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order to simplify the description of the invention and by way of example only and without limiting the invention thereto the device of the invention will be described hereinafter with respect to its use for positioning disposable pipette tips.

Referring to FIG. 1, the Open Top Box-Like Housing 1 is illustrated as being integrally constructed with Elevation Means 4 for elevating the plurality of substantially parallel non-contiguous Article Support Members 2 above Horizontal Base 7. In this embodiment disposable pipette tips are introduced into Opening 5, agitated so they fall into Slots 3 and then are removed by insertion and press fitting of a pipette in the upwardly pointing larger cross-sectional ends of the disposable tips.

While Elevation Means 4 is shown as integrally connected to Open Top Box-Like Housing 1 it is of course possible to use any means for supporting the bottom of the Open Top Box-Like Housing 1 above and substantially parallel to Horizontal Base 7. For example, one obvious alternative is to provide four legs attached at the comers of the open top box-like housing or elsewhere. In this alternative embodiment a chemically clean pad is placed on a counter or table and the disposable pipette tips are positioned between adjacent non-contiguous article support members and above the chemically clean pad and are picked up by the insertion of a pipette into the upwardly pointing larger crosssectional ends.

FIG. 2 illustrates the device of the invention with a single disposable pipette tip 6 positioned substantially vertically therein. Only one tip is shown for simplicity. As is shown in FIG. 2 disposable pipette tips have a circular cross-sectional area which varies in a substantially monotonic function along the lengths thereof. The cross-sectional area at the lower end of the tip is relatively small whereas the cross-sectional area at the upper end, which is the position in which a pipette is inserted to pick up the tip, is relatively large. The exact dimensions of the device for positioning the disposable pipette tips is determined by the variation in crosssectional area of the particular disposable pipette tip that is to be positioned. As shown, the Width D of the slots should be equal to a diameter near the larger cross-sectional area end of the disposable tip and the length L, between the position the Article Support Members 2 contact the disposable pipette tip and the Horizontal Base 7, should be greater than the distance the disposable tip will freely depend between adjacent non-contiguous support members. If the narrowest cross-sectional end of the disposable tip rests only slightly above Horizontal Base 7 then when a pipette is inserted into the largest cross-sectional end the disposable pipette tip is pushed slightly downward and the re sulting contact of the Narrow End 9 (of the disposable tip) with Base 7 will assist the formation of a press fit.

Although the dimensions of the open top box-like housing are not critical it is clearly necessary that the open top box-like housing be of sufficient size to receive at least one and preferably a plurality of disposable tips and should also be large enough so that the shaking of the device to position the tips is effective,

stantially parallel non-contiguous support members) should preferably be at least as long as the disposable tip and more preferably at least about 2 to 3 times as long as the length of the disposable tip.

FIG. 3 illustrates a number of possible cross-sectional areas of the substantially parallel non-contiguous support members. A Rectangular Cross-Section Support Member 11 is illustrated as is a Hemispherical Support Member 12, a Strengthened Hemispherical Support Member 13, a Triangular Support Member 14, a Square Support Member 15, and a Round Support Member 16. The shape of the support member is clearly not critical to the operation of the device of the invention.

The material from which the device of the invention is fabricated is also not critical. For example, the device may be made of cardboard, wood, plastic, metal or the like. It is probably most economical to make the device out of light cardboard or plastic although for some applications, i.e., where extremely large elongated articles are being positioned, it may be desirable to have the strength of a more rigid material such as aluminum, steel or wood. When light cardboard or other flexible materials are used it is essential that the tip of the article be capable of touching the bottom of the open top box-like housing so that the article is not pushed all the way through the article support members.

While a specific embodiment of the device for positioning elongated articles of the invention has been described herein it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto. The invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered as illustrative only and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A combination comprising:

a housing having a bottom comprising a plurality of substantially parallel and substantially coplanar noncontiguous article support members, said support members defining a plurality of slots having substantially equal widths, D, said housing further having a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom of the housing to define an opentop box;

means extending downwardly from the bottom of the housing supporting said support members above and substantially parallel to a horizontal surface; and

at least one disposable pipette tip having a monotonically increasing circular cross-section through its longitudinal axis, said tip being vertically positioned in one of the slots with the largest crosssectional end of said tip pointing upwardly, the diameter of said tip being equal to the slot width, D, sufficiently near the larger cross-section area end of said tip so that the center of gravity of said tip is below the point of support of said tip by the slot, said support members being positioned by said supporting means above and substantially parallel to the horizontal surface at least a distance, L, said distance, L, being restricted whereby when a pipette is inserted into the largest cross-section area end of said tip, said tip is positioned downwardly sufficiently so that the narrow end thereof contacts said horizontal surface.

2. A combination as in claim 1, wherein the width of the open top box is at least equal to the length of said disposable pipette tips and the length of the open top 5 box is at least equal to the length of the disposable pipette tips.

disposable pipette tips. 

1. A combination comprising: a housing having a bottom comprising a plurality of substantially parallel and substantially coplanar noncontiguous article support members, said support members defining a plurality of slots having substantially equal widths, D, said housing further having a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom of the housing to define an open-top box; means extending downwardly from the bottom of the housing supporting said support members above and substantially parallel to a horizontal surface; and at least one disposable pipette tip having a monotonically increasing circular cross-section through its longitudinal axis, said tip being vertically positioned in one of the slots with the largest cross-sectional end of said tip pointing upwardly, the diameter of said tip being equal to the slot width, D, sufficiently near the larger cross-section area end of said tip so that the center of gravity of said tip is below the point of support of said tip by the slot, said support members being positioned by said supporting means above and substantially parallel to the horizontal surface at least a distance, L, said distance, L, being restricted whereby when a pipette is inserted into the largest cross-section area end of said tip, said tip is positioned downwardly sufficiently so that the narrow end thereof contacts said horizontal surface.
 2. A combination as in claim 1, wherein the width of the open top box is at least equal to the length of said disposable pipette tips and the length of the open top box is at least equal to the length of the disposable pipette tips.
 3. A combination as in claim 2, wherein the width of the open top box is at least 1 1/2 times the length of one of said disposable pipette tips and the length of the open top box is at least twice the length of one of said disposable pipette tips. 